1. Tom Ford Noir Pour Femme EDP, $225.
Definitely not your usual feminine scent, this is spicy, smoky and powerful, with heady notes of bitter orange and ginger laced with whiffs of rose and jasmine. Spritz it on for an important work meeting to give yourself a boost of confidence.
2. Marc Jacobs Mod Noir EDP, $158.
We love how this opens with the relaxing scent of freshly cut grass, then slowly dries down to a creamy base with notes of gardenia, magnolia and musk – it’s our new fave lazy weekend fragrance.
3. Alaia Paris, 2015 EDP, $200.
Earthy, spicy and slightly raw – we would describe this perfume. Expect notes of pink pepper, peony, freesia and suede – an unexpected and attention-grabbing combination that we can imagine wearing on a luxe beach vacation.
4. Diptyque Florabellio EDT, $190.
Though it smells strongly of apples and Osmanthus at first, it has a bitterness to it (thanks to notes of roasted coffee beans) that makes it oddly addictive. Perfect for sluggish mornings.
5. Karl Lagerfeld Private Klub EDP, $110.
This starts off smelling like a fresh bouquet of roses and magnolias, but settles into a spicy-earthy base of almonds, woods and pink pepper.
6. Shanghai Tang Oriental Pearl EDP, $155.
Not a fan of classic rose scents? This one has earthy patchouli and warm, creamy vanilla notes to balance out the rose bouquet – wear it on a first date if you’re looking for a safe yet sultry option.
7. Armani Prive Sable Or EDP Intense, $950.
This unique fragrance has a strong scent of sandalwood at first spritz, but you’ll get hints of iris and vanilla after – a medley that smells smoky and feminine at the same time.
8. Paco Rabanne Olympea EDP, $155.
A foolproof recipe for a sensual oriental perfume: smoky notes of jasmine and ambergris as well as zesty mandarin.
This story was originally published in the January 2016 issue of Her World magazine.